This invention relates to a wind powered propulsion device including a sail and a backpack-like device for fitting over the shoulders and around the waist of a person.
The wind has been used extensively in the past and is presently used for powering marine vessels and, less extensively, vehicles. For example, a bicycle sail is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,176 to Ylvisaker. The sail in this case is curved in a somewhat airfoil-like shape. Other sails for bicycles are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 639,107 to Sorensen and U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,647 to Keeler. The latter shows an airfoil sail including a plurality of horizontal, vertically spaced ribs.
Sails for bicycles have not been widely used because in many cases the bicycle becomes unstable when provided with a sail. In addition, past devices have required modification of the bicycle or have been difficult to install. It would therefore be convenient to provide a device for wind propulsion of bicycles, other vehicles and small water craft which would be portable and easy to use without any modification of the propelled device.